If you’re looking for professional development opportunities in 2024, the National Dance Education Organization has dance educators covered with its unparalleled lineup on a variety of topics. This year’s offerings include two brand-new events (a Dance + Data Conference and a Dance and Disability Virtual Summit); a Special Topic Conference, in collaboration with the International Somatic Movement Education & Therapy Association; in-depth virtual courses spanning multiple weeks; and the ever-popular National Dance Education Conference, returning for its 26th year.
No matter which events you add to your calendar, you’re guaranteed to be learning from peers who are experts in the dance education field. “Much of our professional development comes directly from our members,” shares NDEO executive director Susan McGreevy-Nichols, noting that the presenters at NDEO conferences and events and the professors for its Online Professional Development Institute courses are members. “We are focused on creating diverse and accessible opportunities for dance teachers to learn from each other.”
The benefits don’t stop at professional growth, says McGreevy-Nichols. She counts networking opportunities, exposure to innovative teaching methods, inspiration for classes, access to research findings, and a supportive community among the many takeaways of NDEO’s offerings, whether it’s a multi-day conference, a virtual summit or online course, or presentations accessed on demand. “These events also facilitate collaboration, advocacy involvement, and a sense of belonging within the dance education field,” she says, underscoring NDEO’s mission: dance education for all.
Dance + Data Conference
What Data Can Do for You: Data-Driven Opportunities in Dance Education
Gather with dance educators at Oakland University to crunch the numbers: Learn how data can help improve teaching techniques, reveal areas for improvement, and be leveraged as an advocacy tool to demonstrate the power of dance education.
Cost: $260 for NDEO Members/$150 for NDEO Student Members/$330 for not-yet-members
Location: Rochester, Michigan (Detroit area)
Time commitment: 2-day conference. Saturday, February 24–Sunday, February 25, 2024
Frequency: First time ever
Size: 40–60 dance educators
ndeo.org/DataConf
Dance and Disability Virtual Summit
Innovations in Disability and Dance: Reaching Back, Moving Forward
Following member requests, NDEO is producing its first Dance and Disability Virtual Summit. The daylong event will explore pathways to careers in dance education and performance for students and teachers with disabilities. Registrants can access recordings of all sessions on demand for a month after the event.
Cost: $95 for NDEO Members/$160 for not-yet-members (until March 15, 2024). Late rate is $110 for NDEO Members/$175 for not-yet-members.
Location: Virtual
Time commitment: 1-day mini conference. Saturday, April 6, 2024
Frequency: First time ever
Size: 75–100 dance educators
ndeo.org/DisabilitySummit
Somatic Special Topic Conference
Somatic Movement in Dance Education: Enhancing Health and Creativity for Teachers & Students
For NDEO’s second collaboration with the International Somatic Movement Education & Therapy Association, join somatic movement professionals and dance educators for bodymind explorations that inspire whole-person wellness and artistic play.
Cost: $320 for NDEO Members/$190 for NDEO Student Members (until May 1, 2024). Late rate is $345 for NDEO Members.
Location: New York, NY
Time commitment: 3-day conference. Friday, July 19–Sunday July 21, 2024
Frequency: Second time ever
Size: 150–200 dance educators
ndeo.org/somatic2024
National Dance Education Conference
REVITALIZE: Breathing New Life into Your Dance Programs and Teaching Methods
“The last few years of ‘unprecedented times’ have been particularly draining for dance teachers, but we believe the field has transformed into something even better!” says McGreevy-Nichols. The 2024 conference will celebrate innovations in teaching dance, bringing together educators to exchange ideas for self-care, improving students’ well-bring, sharing teaching strategies, and implementing technology into their practices.
Cost: $440 for NDEO Members (through May 31, 2024); $490 for NDEO Members (June 1–September 3, 2024). Student Member rates also available.
Location: Bellevue, Washington (Seattle metro area)
Time commitment: 3 full days of sessions. Sunday, September 29–Tuesday, October 1, 2024 (200+ sessions to choose from)
Frequency: Annually every fall
Size: 800+ dance educators
ndeo.org/conf2024
Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI) Courses
Dive into a variety of topics via concentrated online study, including kinesiology, developing strategic leadership, jazz dance theory and practice, and more. Learn from experts in the field though specially developed coursework for dance educators in private studios, dance schools, K–12 institutions, community and cultural centers, and colleges and universities.
Cost: Course fees for NDEO Members range from $215 (4 weeks) to $550 (12 weeks). Non-member fees range from $290 (4 weeks) to $625 (12 weeks). Space in online courses is limited; registration closes once courses fill.
Location: Virtual
Time commitment: 4, 6, 8, or 12, depending on the topic. Courses are led by a professor and taught in an asynchronous format with weekly due dates, but no mandatory meetings.
Frequency: New courses start each spring, summer, and fall semester with tiered start dates throughout each semester.
Size: Approximately 20 dance educators per course
ndeo.org/opdi
“NDEO learning opportunities focus not just on technical proficiency, but on what will truly help you become a stronger educator,” says McGreevy-Nichols. For more on NDEO’s programming throughout the year, click here.
